Training Rocket Scientists

Spacecraft Thermal Control

Start Dates:

Start Date 1: 03/10/2020 8:30 am

Locations:

Location Course 1: Columbia, Maryland

Course Length:

2

Cost:

$1590 per person

Summary:

This is a fast-paced two-day course appropriate for System Engineers/Managers with an interest in improving their understanding of spacecraft thermal design or Engineers who want to get an overview of thermal systems engineering process. All phases of thermal design, integration, testing, and in-flight operations are covered in enough depth to give a deeper understanding of the design process. The goals are to have every student understand (1) “bigger picture” system and tradeoff issues (2) thermal analysis, design, thermal devices, thermal testing, and (3) how the thermal design interacts with the overall system design and fits into the overall picture of satellite design. Case studies, lessons learned, and interactive problems, illustrate the importance of thermal design and the current state of the art.

What you will learn:

How the Thermal Engineer:

Defines Thermal Requirements

Sets Thermal Limits throughout the project lifecycle

Does basic conduction, convection, and radiation analysis

Devises and Implements Thermal Testing

Chooses Thermal Hardware (active and passive)

Performs Computer calculations

Interacts with other systems and project management

Course Outline:

Why is the Thermal Design So Important?

The Role of Thermal Control in Spacecraft Design.

What does the thermal design have to accomplish?

What factors affect the thermal design?

Type of thermal systems

The thermal design process

Special considerations for subsystems:

Project Life Cycle

Life cycle definition

Reviews

Technology demonstration levels

Risk classification

Requirements, Limits and Margins

Science versus engineering driven

Requirement modes

Types of thermal requirements and margins

Limits definitions

Types of margins

Heat Transfer Mechanisms, Fluxes, and Energy Balances

Conduction, convection, radiation

Other heat sources

Incident energy of a spacecraft

Energy balance equation

Effects of coatings

Solar, Albedo, and Earth IR

Overall Thermal Analysis

Analysis Types

Software packages

Nodalization and model building

Radiation analysis

Finite difference analysis

Parameters and constraints

Orbits and spacecraft attitude

Thermal Hardware

Control Coatings

Interface Materials

Isolators

Heaters and sensors

Radiators, doublers, and heat straps

Louvers

Heat Pipes, pumped loop systems

MLI

Integration and Testing

Test planning

Types of tests and objectives

Levels of testing

Test requirements

Test profiles

Test set-up, control methods, and hardware

Test documentation

Test analysis, modeling, and correlation

Summary and Questions

Scheduling:

If this course is not on the current schedule of open enrollment courses and you are interested in attending this or another course as an open enrollment, please contact us at (410)956-8805 or ati@aticourses.com. Please indicate the course name, number of students who wish to participate. and a preferred time frame. ATI typically schedules open enrollment courses with a 3-5 month lead time. For on-site pricing, you can use the request an on-site quote form, call us at (410)956-8805, or email us at ati@aticourses.com.

Instructors:

Carol L. Mosier, NASA Emeritus, has over 30 years of experience in the field of thermal engineering. Ms. Mosier was a 2017 recipient of NASA’s highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal, for her key contributions to mission success, thermal software development, and thermal training. Her diverse work portfolio includes a variety of instrument, balloncraft, and spacecraft systems, operating in cryogenic, convective and high-temperature environments and enabling more than twenty missions ranging from technology demonstrations to Earth and interplanetary science. Ms. Mosier is experienced in all aspects of thermal engineering, including design, analysis, requirements development, integration, testing, and flight operations. Ms. Mosier’s educational activities included developing and teaching thermal design classes for the Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Maryland, NASA Engineering & Safety Center, and Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshops (TFAWS).